Silver Book Fact
Based on preliminary data from 2004, the top 15 causes of death in the United States in 2004 were:
- 1. Disease of the heart – 654,092 deaths
- 2. Malignant neoplasms – 550-270 deaths
- 3. Cerebrovascular diseases – 150,147 deaths
- 4. Chronic lower respiratory diseases – 123,884 deaths
- 5. Accidents (unintentional injuries) – 108,694 deaths
- 6. Diabetes mellitus – 72,815 deaths
- 7. Alzheimer’s disease – 65,829 deaths
- 8. Influenza and pneumonia – 61,472 deaths
- 9. Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis – 42,762 deaths
- 10. Septicemia – 33,464 deaths
- 11. Intentional self-harm (suicide) – 31,647 deaths
- 12. Chronic liver disease and cirrhosis – 26,549 deaths
- 13. Essential (primary) hypertension and hypertensive renal disease – 22,953 deaths
- 14. Parkinson’s disease – 18,018 deaths
- 15. Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids – 16,959 deaths
Minino A, Heron M, Smith B. Deaths: Preliminary data for 2004. Hyattsville, MD: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Center for Health Statistics; 2004. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/prelimdeaths04/preliminarydeaths04.htm